Introduction to Stand-Up Comedy

From Richard Pryor to Jerry Seinfeld and Aziz Ansari to Wanda Sykes—no two stand-up comedians are alike, but they’re all united by one thing: fearlessness. Comics have long been admired as artists who express themselves and their own world view without fear. In this course, build an original, professional five-minute stand-up routine based on whatever subjects you happen to be passionate about—whether it’s your relationship with your mother-in-law or your hatred of tuna salad. Discover classic joke-writing techniques, and build the skills to improve your public speaking, think on your feet, and create rapport with an audience. Through class activities, discover who you are as a comedian and what your funny message is. Whether you’re performing a set at a comedy club or a delivering a presentation in the board room, this class will give you the confidence to face any audience. The semester concludes with a public performance at a professional comedy club in New York City.